Hopper-car structure



Jan. 28, 1930. w. M. SHEEHAN HOPPER CAR STRUCTURE Filed March 12. 1928 JBY ZMm/z gg g Patented Jan. 28, 1939 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO GENERAL STEEL CASTINGS CORPORATION, OF GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE HOPPER-CAB STRUCTURE Application filed March 12, 1928.

My invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists in novel elements for supporting the doors and sloping floor of a hopper car.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a bracket adapted to be mounted upon a car underframe member and which will support the floor throughout its slope at points spaced from the underframe member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a door hinge support carrying the door from the underframe member at a point spaced from the latter.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a car of the class referred to, a door and underframe assembly which will eliminate the formation of pockets between the floor and the underframe, which pockets are adapted to collect and hold material which is being loaded into the car.

These objects, and other detailed objects, which will be referred to in my specification, are attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through the side sill adjacent the door and the hopper side floor and showing the door and floor supporting brackets in elevation.

Figure 2 is a similar section with the door and its hinge bracket removed.

Figures 3 and a are, respectively, side and front views of a modified form of hinge bracket.

Figure 5 is a top view of the hinge bracket shown in Figure 1.

The car underframe may be of any desired type, a preferred form of which is illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 270,950, filed April 18, 1928, which includes boX shaped side sills, one of which is in dicated in the accompanying drawings, at 1. The inclined hopper floor 2 is preferably spaced from sill 1 and extends upwardly and downwardly beyond the sides of the sill. The floor 2 is supported at spaced points along the sill 1 by side brackets 3 and hinge brackets 4. Each bracket 3 comprises horizontal and vertical flanges 5 and 6, respectively, adapted to be applied to the top and side walls 7 and 8 of the sill 1, and a web 9 extends upwardly Serial No. 260,996.

at right angles to flanges 5 and 6 and a floor engaging flange 10 carried by web 9 extends laterally on both sides of sill 1, the lower end of flange 1O projecting below the top of sill 1. Suitable reenforcing ribs 11, 12 and 13, are provided on web 9, the latter forming a continuation of flange 5 and extending inwardly and upwardly from the upper inner corner of the sill to a point on. flange 10 immediately beneath the floor 2. Intermediate the side n'ackets 3 are the hinge brackets l, each comprising a vertical flange 14: for application to the inner side wall 15 of the sill 1, andpreferably the hinge bracket has a horizontal flange 16 adapted to engage the top surface of the sill. The bracket extends inwardly from the sill and has an inclined flange 17 adapted to engage and support the lower portion of the hopper floor 2. Between flanges 14 and 17, the hinge bracket is provided with-spaced seats 18 for receiving the hinge pin, and an upper web 19 cooperates with flange 17 and flange 14 to form a housing or shroud for the hinge pin 20, so that dirt cannot drop onto the hinge pin.

Between brackets 3 and 4 there is a substantial space provided between the inner corner of the sill and the inclined sill floor 2 through which material can fall, instead of accumulating on the side sill.

In Figures 3 and 4, 1 illustrate a modified hinge bracket in which no flange is provided for engagement with the top wall of the sill. In this bracket, the spaced end walls 22 provide bearings or seats 23 for a hinge pin and the flanges 24 and 25 provide for attachment to the car sill and floor similarly to the corresponding flanges shown in Figure 1. The hinge pin is protected by the upper web 26. It will be understood that the spacing of the hinge pin bearings in the bracket shown in Figure 1 corresponds to the spacing shown in Figure 2. Obviously the details of my invention may be varied without departing from the spirit thereof, and I contemplate the exclusive use of such modifications as fall within the scope of my claims.

I claim:

1. In a railway hopper car, an undcrframc member, and a bracket resting on said member and extending laterally on both sides of said member to supportan inclined hopper floor.

2. In a railway hopper car, a side sill, and a bracket mounted upon said sill and ex tending upwardly and outwardly from said sill, to support an inclined side floor, and downwardly and inwardly from said sill to support said floor.

3. A one-piece casting adapted to be mounted on a railway car underframe member and to project on an incline upwardly and downwardly from the top of said member to support a sloping floor.

4. In a. one-piece casting forming a bracket for a hopper car floor, horizontal and verti cal flanges adapted to engage the top and side of a car underfranie member, a web at right angles to said flanges, and a flange extending at right angles to said web and inclined from the vertical to support a sloping floor. said inclined flange extending below said horizontal flange.

5. In a railway hopper car, an under-frame member, a sloping floor adjacent to said member but spaced therefrom, and a bracket mounted on the top and side of said member and extending from the corner thereof for supporting said floor.

6. A 0nepiece casting forming a hopper car hinge bracket and comprising a portion for application to the top and side of a car underframe member of angular section, a floor supporting flange spaced from said portion, a hinge pin seat intermediate said portion and flange, and a hinge pin shroud over said seat.

7. In a hopper car, a side sill box shaped in cross section, an inclined floor adjacent to but spaced from said sill, and a bracket casting mounted on said sill and ineh'uiling flanges for attachment to the top and side wall of said sill and a rib extending outwardly and upwardly from the outer top cornor of said sill and a rib extending inwardly and downwardly from the inner top corner of said sill and a floor engaging flange car ried by the outer ends of said ribs.

8. In a hopper car, a side sill box shaped in cross section, an inclined floor adjacent to but spaced from said sill, and a bracket casting mounted on said sill and including a flange for attachment to the top wall of said sill and a rib extending inwardly and upwardly from said flange adjacent the inner top corner of said sill and a floor engaging flange carried on the upper end of said rib.

9. A one-piece casting adapted to be mounted on a railway car underframe memher and comprising a support element, for engaging the top of said member, and a portion carried by said element and adapted to extend on an incline upwardly and downwardly from the top of said member to sup port a sloping floor.

10. In a hopper car, a sloping floor, a side sill having an angular section adjacent to but spaced from said floor, and brackets each having an angular recess fitting over said an ular section on said sill and having an inc lined surface extending diagonally of said angular section for supporting said floor.

11. In a hopper car, a sloping floor, a hopper door, a side sill having an angular section adjacent to but spaced from said floor and door, and brackets each having an angular recess fitting over said angular section on said sill and having an inclined surface extending diagonally of said angular section for supporting said floor and having hinge butt elements beneath said surfaces for supporting said door.

In testiinony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 29th day of Ifiebruary, 1928.

IVILLIAM M. SHEEIL N. 

